


Through Your Eyes

by iPrincezzInuyoukai



Category: Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Heterochromia, M/M, Parallel Universes, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-07-27 12:39:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16219214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iPrincezzInuyoukai/pseuds/iPrincezzInuyoukai
Summary: Wirt always felt like an outcast because of his left eye. It wasn’t the typical colors that people usually get, these were colored rings. He had always wondered who they originally belonged to.The night of his 16th Halloween Wirt met that person.But he wasn’t a person. He wasn’t even human.





	1. Bittersweet Symphony

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have self-control, all of you must already be used to that...
> 
> I wrote a new story, I watched my favorite Anti-Hero movie yesterday, I have homework to do... Send help or press F.
> 
> Basically I'm publishing this story to compensate all of you because I've the sad news that this year my new fic, Grande Amore, TMON sequel, won't be published... I'm so sorry, so please, read this instead, and have a nice time... I'll try my best so when I publish GA, this would be a fantastic story too.
> 
> I'm trying to give a name to the chapters, specifically one with themes, and the selected theme will be the classical pieces, why? Because yolo.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> You can always contact me on Tumblr: [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Also some of my future stories: [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/My-Fanfics)

Wirt was three-years-old when he understood that he wasn’t like everyone else. His left eye wasn’t of any color that was known to him. Moreover, it was similar to colored rings, from the center to the outside were rings of blue, white, yellow and pink.

Her mother said that she had never realized it until she was discharged from the hospital and they came home – Most newborns’ eyes don’t usually distinguish themselves until they’re four months old. His mother had been amazed at such a rainbow that his left eye showed.

As Wirt grew and saw his kindergarten classmates’ eyes, most had different colored eyes, very few had the same color, Wirt was feeling increasingly uncomfortable with himself, because – Who does he owe this peculiar eye color? He had seen himself in the mirror, touching near the area of the left eye and wondering who would be the other person to whom those colored rings belonged, where he’d find it, and what it’d be like.

Wirt was four-years-old when his father left home. It turns out that there may be more than one person who shares your eye color. And even though their parents seemed to be, they weren’t meant to be with the other.

Before leaving, his father looked at him and asked him to come closer. Wirt did so, it was rare that his father showed him some affection, and if this was the last time –

Once he was in front of his father, Leonard crouched down to Wirt’s height. His father caressed his cheek, his black eyes looked at the black eye Wirt had on the right, Wirt noticed that his father frowned, but disappeared as soon as he saw his multicolored left eye. Giving him a soft pat on the head, Leonard took his suitcases and turned around.

“At least you’ll have confidence in knowing who your soul mate is.” Leonard said and left their lives.

Wirt was six-years-old when Nathan came into their lives. And it wasn’t a change that he liked at all. Even though he was a kind, funny man, it wasn’t that Wirt was going to say it out loud, Wirt wasn’t entirely comfortable with seeing him in his and his mother’s house.

But seeing his mother happy and smiling after such a painful separation Wirt decided to make an effort for her. At least Nathan’s left eye was brown as his mother’s right eye. Just as his mother’s black matched Nathan’s right eye. That meant that whatever happened, Nathan and his mother would be together because they were true soul mates.

Wirt was eight years old when his mother married Nathan and the three had to move to Colorado, where he entered a new elementary school. Wirt didn’t want to admit it at all, he was struggling for his mother, but he hated his new school and his classmates didn’t help at all.

His old classmates in his old school were used to his peculiar left eye, Wirt had been with most of them from day care and kindergarten. Always commenting on how lucky Wirt was for having such an explosion of colors in his left eye and how fantastic it’ll be when he finds the other person....

Those kind comments turned to teasing comments at his new school. No matter how much Wirt tried to ignore them. Little by little, his visits to the mirror became less frequent. He did everything possible to avoid looking at himself – To avoid looking at his left eye that brought so much pain to his person.

Whoever owns his left eye... Wirt hoped to meet them soon and know that at least he wasn’t alone.

Wirt was ten-years-old when his half-brother was born. His mother and Nathan called him Gregory, or to shorten, Greg. A little chubby baby who laughs in the least. Wirt didn’t fully understand his half-brother. I was always happy and laughing.

When his mother made him hold Greg, even though Wirt was reluctant to want to hold him, Wirt focused his eyes on baby Greg. His little brother stared at him, as if analyzing him and suddenly smiled. Wirt felt a warm feeling in his stomach when Greg tried to raise his hands and place them on his cheek. His half-brother laughed as soon as their eyes met. Wirt noticed that both of Greg’s eyes were brown.

Greg laughed and Wirt knew that his half-brother was laughing about his left eye and how curious it was. But at least he knew that Greg didn’t see him as a weirdo as most of his classmates saw him.

Wirt was twelve-years-old when he started middle school. New school, new classmates... New teasings.

Fearful of whatever might happen to him at his new school, Wirt asked his mother to buy him an eye patch. Minerva at first wasn’t so convinced about her eldest son’s idea. She didn’t understand how someone could make fun of such a pretty eye. However seeing Wirt’s stressed look, Minerva had no choice but to accept.

Writing to the school a note where she explained that Wirt had had surgery and therefore he had to use the patch for an indefinite time.

Minerva said goodbye to Wirt and her son entered the building. She wanted to think that the patch would only be temporary and Wirt would soon forget about that.

Maybe Wirt hastened to judge his new classmates... Or maybe none of them had made fun of him because his left eye was hidden. Anyway, Wirt soon became friends with a peculiar boy named Jason Funderburker, the boy’s eyes were both black and although he asked what color was his left eye Wirt quickly diverted the conversation.

Jason Funderberker introduced him to his other friends, three girls Jason Funderberker knew since elementary school. Sara, whose right eye was brown, Rhonda, both eyes were brown and Kathleen, one of her eyes was a light blue. Even though they asked him what had happened in his eyes they didn’t try to take off the patch.

Wirt smiled at the possibility that he met good people,

Wirt was fourteen-years-old when he discovered that he had a crush on Sara. Even though he well knew that they’d never be meant to be he couldn’t help but ask if that tingling sensation in his stomach was due to a crush – Then how would it be when he finally met his soul mate?

Would it be epic? Normal? A unique experience? Would both of them, upon seeing each other, know at once and fall in love? Or would it start with a simple hello?

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to know that person soon.

.

.

.

Wirt was sixteen-years-old when he finally met his left eye’s owner...

... It wasn’t as he had expected it.


	2. In The Hall Of The Mountain King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because Wirt needed a push to meet his soul mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry guys! A lot of things happened in my personal life, the summary is that there was a lot of tension, there is still some tension... 
> 
> I don't want to worry everyone with my problems because I know that you also have yours, so I'd better leave you this Christmas present <3
> 
> Update: 25/December/2018

Wirt was lying on his bed. His thoughtful gaze kept seeing the cassette that was in his hands, on a white part could be read the phrase ‘ _For Sara_ ’'. And it’s that, when he thought about the reason why he had recorded his poems and played some musical pieces, they made him feel more foolish and miserable.

Sara wasn’t his soul mate and __the worst of all__  is that she’d date Jason Funderberker since their eyes matched. It wasn’t unusual for several people to date with others whose eye color was similar to theirs, the rare thing was when the colors didn’t match to the other person’s.

But the simple fact that every time Sara talked to him or laughed with him, made him feel ticklish in his stomach and in his face. Gosh! Why couldn’t he just find out who the other eye belonged to and forget all this mess with Sara?

“Wirt.” Greg entered his room. His little brother was dressed in a white shirt and green overalls with a teapot on his head — Again, what was Greg's disguise? “Mom asks if you would take me to Trick and Treat?”

Wirt bit his lower lip. Tonight was Halloween and he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave his house. Not when all his friends were surely in tonight's game — Where Sara would be cheering the team in her bee costume — And They’d go to Charlie's Halloween party and have fun... But if he stayed here, he wouldn’t stop thinking about it.

Maybe he should leave, at least for tonight.

Wirt got up sitting on his bed. “In a minute.”

“Woohoo!” Greg raised his fists up, “Tonight, brother, we’ll return as kings and go to look for frogs!” The six-year-old boy was shouting enthusiastically, turning around, and running down the stairs.

Wirt smiled, one way or another Greg always managed to make people smile wherever he went. And now, he was starting to have another problem on his hands, what would be his disguise?

In the attic there were stuff that were no longer used. Wirt took a blue cloak — He was sure that it must have belonged to his grandmother because of the feminine, dusty things that were at its side. In the Christmas box, Wirt took off the cap of a Santa Claus and carefully cut the cotton. Going back to his room Wirt took a white shirt and gray overalls and put on two different colored shoes.

Wirt looked at himself in the mirror. His improvised disguise as a Gnome King had fit him perfectly. Now it only remained to know what he’d do with his eye.

While at home Wirt walked without his eye patch during school or on the street he wore his patch and several of his classmates had become used to it — he wasn’t entirely convinced that he wanted to go out without his eye patch, even for the only night where everyone wore costumes and mask... Wirt took his eye patch and put it on.

He hoped that very soon he’ll stop using it. The rumors about his eye became more ridiculous.

☽✠☾

“Goodbye, Old Lady Daniel’s.” Greg said goodbye to his old friend, walking down the steps with other children.

“Have a good night, Greg.” The old gardener said goodbye to him, “And please don’t call me old lady.” She added.

“Yes, Sir Young Man!” Greg ran to his brother who was leaning against a fence while watching his high school football game. “Wirt, look, I got some delicious sweets, here are chocolates, mints, chewing gum, and I think this is an ear — ”

Wirt wasn’t listening to Greg. His gaze was focused on the bee that danced in the middle of the football field. His hand squeezed the cassette that was in the pocket of the blue cloak. He really wanted to give Sara the tape... At least knew what she’d think. If she would like it? If she rejected it? If she felt sorry for him since he decided to have a crush on the wrong person?

Greg looked at Wirt's anguished face. Did his brother eat spinach again? Ugh. Greg’s gaze focused on the rectangle that was in Wirt’s hands. “Are you going to give it to Sara the Bee?”

“What?” Wirt looked at his little brother, raising an eyebrow.

“That.” Greg pointed to the cassette. “It says __for Sara__. Is Sara the Bee?”

“Shh.” Wirt hushed his brother. Afraid that Greg would say something more than someone could hear. “You can’t tell anyone —  ”

“Wirt?”

Wirt froze when he heard his friends’ voices. Turning around he met Kathleen with rabbit ears and Rhonda disguised as an egg… Again, could someone explain him what Halloween was about?

“We didn’t know you’d come.” Rhonda showed genuine joy.

“What’s this?” Kathleen took the cassette staring or rather inspecting it. Wirt always had vintage things.

If it had been another person Wirt wouldn’t have hesitated to snatch it from their hands... But it was Kathleen and she scared him exceedingly.

“Uh~ Here it says __Sara__ ~” Kathleen teased, “ _ _Someone__  likes Sara~”

“It's not that Sara!” Wirt tried to defend himself.

“That's right! It's Sara the Bee! Wirt hasn’t stopped seeing her for a single second.”

“Greg!” Wirt shouted in embarrassment, listening to Rhonda’s and Kathleen’s laughter behind him. God, no, it wasn’t working and he was beginning to feel all his food stirring in his stomach! “Uh…We’ve to go!” Wirt took Greg by the hand and ran away from high school.

“Wait, Wirt! We still need to visit other houses.” Greg asked his brother to stop, but they were already running away from the street.

☽✠☾

Wirt breathed and exhaled, trying to recover the lost breath and that his heart didn’t cause him a heart attack. “We were so close.” He said once he felt calmer holding his hand to his chest.

“Beans, I wanted more chocolates.” Greg said sadly, the little boy was sitting next to his brother.

“I’ll repay you when we get home.” Wirt promised, getting up off the floor and dusting himself, as well as helping Greg to his feet. “Now what we’ve to do is — ” As soon as his hands went through his cloak, Wirt felt that there was no bulge. “Where’s the cassette?”

“Uh?” Greg tilted his head.

“The cassette that Kathleen took away — ” __Oh, no…__  “Greg, we’ve to go back!”

“What? But you said we’d go hunting frogs after Trick ‘n’ Treat.” Greg put his hands on his hips, pursing his lips.

Wirt groaned. Greg wouldn’t understand. He had never fallen in love before. “Greg! You don’t understand, that cassette has poetry and clarinet! __Poetry and clarinet!__ ”

“And what’s the problem?”

Wirt hit his forehead with the palm of his hand, dragging it across his face. “Greg, Sara __will__  date Jason Funderberker! If she has the cassette and listens to it with Jason Funderberker, they’ll both laugh, laugh, laugh, and __laugh__!”

Greg was more confused now. The little boy didn’t understand why his older brother didn’t want anyone to listen to his funny poems or his melodic clarinet sonatas. Greg sighed resignedly. “Good, but we'll go look for frogs after.”

☽✠☾

When Wirt and Greg arrived at the football field, there weren’t many people anymore. Wirt looked for Kathleen or Rhonda, but neither the blonde nor the redhead were anywhere. Wirt felt his stomach tighten as he thought about the possibility that the three girls had gone to Charlie's party and Kathleen had handed the tape to Sara.

“God, I want to vomit.” Wirt let his head hit gently against the bleachers.

Once in front of Charlie’s house, Wirt managed to see from the window a girl in an oval costume — __Oh, God, please be Rhonda.__  “Let’s go for them.”

“Yes. Let’s go for them.” Greg crushed his fist against his hand.

“Uh, I don’t mean that way.” Wirt corrected before Greg was left with the wrong idea.

Wirt and Greg entered the house, but once inside the music and lights disoriented them for a second they ended up separating. Even though Wirt was worried about losing Greg at a teen party, he was more afraid of Sara getting to listen to the tape.

“Ouch.” Wirt crashed into someone. Thank God, that someone was Rhonda. “Rhonda! Thanks. Quick, you’ve to give me the cassette before Kathleen gives it to Sara.”

Rhonda bit her lower lip. “Sorry, Wirt, but Kathleen’s with Sara right now — ” __For fu—__  Wirt surrounded Rhonda to search for Kathleen.

Once he found her she was talking to Sara — The dark-skinned girl was dressed as a skeleton, although the costume was a clown and over her short black hair was a hat — Wirt began to sweat cold when he saw Jason Funderberker approaching both girls.

It was time to act.

“Hi, guys.” Wirt approached them hoping his arrival would seem casual, __Please, don’t let me stutter.__

“Wirt, you did come.” Sara smiled when she saw him.

Wirt watched Kathleen smile at him and discreetly pointed to the small bag his crush carried around her waist — There must be the cassette! He just had to take it off without Sara noticing —

“Will you go with us?” Sara asked making Wirt's attention return to her.

“What? Where?” Wirt asked confused.

“To the cemetery. We'll go tell horror stories and drink some juice. Do you dare to come?”

“No. Sorry. I have to — Look after Greg.” Wirt hit himself internally. If he had accepted he could have sat next to Sara and discreetly remove the cassette.

Sara's face changed, her smile shrank a little. “Well, if you dare to come we’ll be waiting for you. Also bring your little brother if you want.”

His friends said goodbye and Wirt saw Sara, Jason Funderberker, Kathleen, Rhonda, and three other guys leave the party.

This was his end.

“Wirt, guess what I found?” Greg finally showed up.

“A place for me where to hide until my presence is forgotten from the memories of others and my existence in reality only becomes a dream?” Seeing Greg's disconcerted look, Wirt rolled his eyes.

“It's grape juice and gelatin with pineapple.” Greg showed the juice box and the candy bag. “Our luck begins to change.”

Wirt pursed his lips. Why couldn’t he be as optimistic and carefree as Greg?

☽✠☾

The cemetery, day or night, had never given him good vibes and it wasn’t because he was scared, in the cemetery there are __only__  dead people, something like the supernatural couldn’t exist. In spite of that, there was something in the place that made him felt shivers since they moved to this city. Maybe he still didn’t get used to living here.

His friends’ laughter was heard nearby.

All of them were sitting on the ground being surrounded by tombs, the only lights that illuminated them were the lights of their cell phones and a flashlight that was held by whoever narrated any ghost story... Sara and Jason Funderberker were sitting together...

Damn, damn, damn! He had to prevent Sara from finding the cassette. “I need a distraction.” He whispered to himself.

Greg gasped. “I can be that distraction!” The little boy said excitedly. “I can pretend that I’m the ghost of an elephant.” Greg made the sound of the mammal he was apparently disguised from.

Wirt had several reasons why Greg was a good and bad distraction — At this time he simply couldn’t think of one because it was more urgent to recover the cassette. “Okay.” Wirt said giving up.

Greg nodded and walked away from him. Wirt hoped that this would work because he didn’t know what he’d do if Sara found out that he liked her. The teenager began to walk discreetly behind the graves, approaching where his friends were.

“Then the ghost started to get closer and closer and closer — ” Jason Funderberker narrated his horror story, his hands slowly approaching Sara's. “And suddenly... The ghost caught him by his neck!”

All the teenagers made gestures and groans as soon as Funderberker finished his terrifying story.

Sara looked down to see that her hands were trapped inside Jason's. “Uh, you can let me go.”

“Oh.”Jason Funderberker laughed awkwardly, “I’m sorry.”

“Broom!”

The group of teenagers turned their gaze to where the noise came from. In the middle of the tombs was a small child with a teapot on his head and waving his hand as if it were a hose while moving his mouth producing elephant bars. “Wait... Isn’t he Wirt’s little brother?” One of the teenagers asked when he recognized the boy who was at Charlie's party.

“Noooo.” Greg tried to say with a ghostly voice, “I’m the ghost of an elephant. And all of you are under my spell.”

The teenagers laughed at such an infantile act. “C’mon, is Wirt with you?”

“Yes, he’s over there.” Greg completely forgot the plan and pointed to where his brother was, who was only a few tombstones of the group of teenagers.

Wirt facepalmed. He had already remembered because his little brother wasn’t a good distraction. “Greg!” Wirt got up from the cemetery floor, trying to look normal, “There you are.” If he looked like he was looking for his brother in the cemetery, no one would suspect, right? Right? It’s not as if his friends were going to question him until they know the absolute truth.

A bright blue and red light hit them in the face. “What's going on here?” A voice distorted by a megaphone was heard. “Is it a coven? You all are under arrest.” It was a police patrol.

“Run!” One of the teenagers shouted and everyone else ran scattering around the cemetery to hide from the police. Good thing that all of them were disguised like that wouldn’t be recognized.

“Wait! We were joking!” The police tried to stop them, but in vain, they had already fled.

Wirt had taken Greg's hand and started running. If they caught him or Greg, especially Greg — Knowing his brother’s sincerity, he’d name each of his friends — His mother wouldn’t be happy at all and Wirt didn’t want to be on bad terms with her during these times.

Both brothers had reached the cemetery wall. There was no tall tombstone that could protect them, and there was no place to hide... The only option would be to climb the wall and shelter on the other side. Wirt told Greg his plan and they both started climbing until they were sitting on the wall.

The light of the police again dazzled them.

“Guys, get out of there!” The voice in the megaphone ordered.

“What’s this?” Wirt heard Sara's voice. Not far from them, Sara and Jason Funderberker were hiding together behind a tombstone and the worst thing wasn’t that they were together, was that Sara had finally found his __cassette__.

“We’ve to listen to it.” Jason Funderberker proposed.

“No!” Wirt shouted silently.

“Guys, I'll count to three, get out of there it's very dangerous.” The policeman's voice spoke again, but Wirt was no longer listening to him, all the teenager could hear was the sound of his dignity escaping from within.

__It's over__. Wirt snorted without emotion. “It’s my end.” And with that said, Wirt turned over his place on the wall and jumped out being followed by Greg.

“Boys! You’re not allowed to enter there! That’s private property!”

Wirt fell on the green lawn on the other side of the garden wall, Greg fell more gracefully than he, his little brother was an expert on up and down, Greg always climbed trees and small cobbled hills. Luckily they fell firmly or they’d have fallen down the slope until they rolled and fell into the pond.

“Ribbit.”Greg gasped when he heard that sound.

Wirt leaned against the wall, feeling totally defeated. His hands covering the shame of his face. “It's over. Tomorrow everyone will know.” Nothing would be the same for him. “I’ll have to look for a new life in a new place — ”

“Wirt!” Greg interrupted his older brother's lament. Wirt looked down to see his younger brother. Greg had in his hands what he had been asking so much for two summers. A frog. “You lied! We did come to hunt frogs!”

At other times Wirt would have rolled his eyes and followed the flow by telling Greg a white lie... At other times. Wirt sighed tiredly. Massaging the bridge of the nose. It didn’t matter if he tried to explain it to Greg, he wouldn’t understand. “Do what you want, I'm going home.” __I will enjoy the few moments of tranquility before the storm.__  “It wouldn’t be bad if the earth swallowed me.”

“Do what I want? Does it mean that I can choose the name?” Greg was excited, he had never had such power in his hands before.

The earth beneath them began to vibrate. Wirt turned around. A bright white light was approaching them quickly. For a moment, Wirt feared that the police patrol had caught his friends and now they were going for them... However, that wouldn’t produce vibrations under his feet.

Wirt widened his eyes in horror as he realized that they were in the middle of the tracks of a train and if they didn’t take off immediately they’d arrive home in a coffee can.

“Greg!” Wirt screamed running towards his little brother and his frog. Removing them from the train tracks before the machine ran over them... Wirt hadn’t foreseen that they’d fall down the slope and roll until they fell into the pond.

__God, I hate to wish out loud._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And speaking of gifts... I can't believe it, 100 kudos, this must be a dream, thank you very much for your support, kudos, kind comments, and bookmarks.
> 
> And another little gift, the third chapter is ready, only I've no idea when to publish it, so I leave it to you: New Year's Eve or New Year?
> 
> Thanks again, Happy Holidays!
> 
> You can always contact me on Tumblr (if you still here, is that a thing?): [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Also some of my future stories: [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/My-Fanfics)


	3. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wirt arrives at a strange place, over the garden wall...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You ask and you will be rewarded.
> 
> You know how much I love to read your comments, they give me strength and encouragement. This new year I hope to write even more stories, and maybe finally finish the book I've been writing for some years.
> 
> Now it's here where we enter the parallel universes, what awaits our children in this journey? Read it! And see you at the end!
> 
> Update: 31/December/2018

The tranquility of the pond broke into a loud splash when Wirt came to the surface to take a breath of air. In his arms was Greg, the little boy wouldn’t let go of the frog that had automatically become their new companion in adventures.

Wirt swam to the shore of the pond where the mainland awaited them. Once at the shore Wirt released Greg and the frog, falling on the grass and trying to get his knees out of the water — Ugh, his mother won’t make him forget this, and more surely she’ll force him to wash all the clothes for the whole week. Not to mention their near-drowning.

Wirt opened his eyes wide. His eye patch had fallen off. Hell, this was the last thing that could have happened to ruin the night. Wirt growled through his teeth. What a pity that he wasn’t a girl at least so he could use his hair and cover his eye... If he was a girl he doubted having long hair, though.

“Where we are?” Greg asked, for someone who had suffered a near death experience, the brown child was too _ignorant_  of his surroundings.

“On the other side of the pond.” Wirt tried to catch his breath. Even feeling the heavy body Wirt made an effort to get up. Squinting to see the other side of the pond, as it was difficult to see with the fog that had suddenly covered the body of water. Wirt bit his inner cheek and took out his cellphone, hoping he could call one of his friends, but the electronic device showed _no signal_  and was also wet.

Putting his cell phone back in his wet pants (Once he got home he’d look for rice) Wirt got up, looking around. He knew there was a lot on the other side of the pond, but as far as he knew it was a simple wasteland, not a forest like the one he saw right now.

_How strange is all this_. Wirt thought. “We'd better walk.” He proposed, his face twisted in disgust as he stepped on and felt his socks wet. Even if he wanted to take off his shoes and walk barefoot, he might end up injuring his feet without mentioning the flu that this would bring him.

Wirt and Greg started their way through the gloomy forest. The further they went into the creepy forest, Wirt began to feel an itch on his left cheek. Although it was autumn season at least most of the trees in the city still had their yellow leaves... These trees had nothing of leaves, their branches were bare and the trunk twisted and black, with some holes where the wind passed and produced a gloomy symphony — Was it his imagination or did these trees drip honey-like?

“But after thinking about it enough I think the best name for this frog is — ”

“Wait.” Wirt placed a hand in front of Greg, stopping the child and whatever was the topic of conversation, “I don’t like this.” Wirt frowned. “We’ve been walking for several minutes and we haven’t seen the end of this... I think we're walking in circles.”

“And?”

“It means that we are lost.” Wirt admitted. Looking at both sides the landscape didn’t change, no matter how much they walked, and being sincere, Wirt had no idea how long they had been walking. “Maybe we should go back to the pond.” They were already wet, swimming will be the least of their problems.

The nearby bushes moved, drawing the attention of both brothers. What was that?

A small figure jumped out of the bushes, scaring both brothers, more to Wirt than to Greg, causing the teenager to fall on his back on the forest floor. Wirt looked up. The black figure was standing behind the bushes, although Wirt couldn’t say for sure it must be a person — Oh, thank God, he must be the watchman, or the owner at best.

“Uh, excuse our interference.” Wirt got up from the floor and from his place he tried to talk to the other person. “We fell by accident in the pond and arrived here. Could you please lend us a phone to call our friends?”

The figure in front of him didn’t speak nor even seemed to move. Wirt didn’t know what frightened him most, that the figure wasn’t a person or that he was seeing things.

The figure moved, but only seemed to take a few steps ( _Okay, that meant it was a person_ ) Appearing under the moonlight that could be seen and that only added a gloomy atmosphere to the forest. In fact, it was a person, however, because of the way he dressed, Wirt couldn’t help feeling a little out of place. That man wore a very dirty red sweater, as well as pants of the same color, black boots, and that wasn’t the weird thing, the weird thing was the mask that covered over the area of his eyes, like a thief. Besides, the man seemed to be entering at an old age due to the prominent wrinkles all over his face.

There must have been a costume party nearby or he was a real _thief_.

That man blinked a couple of times before opening the eyes that seemed to cover his entire forehead... That couldn’t be possible, right? He must have seen something that left him in a kind of state of surprise.

“My Lord, you arrived earlier than usual.” The man spoke, his voice was hoarse and Wirt noticed fear. “I didn’t recognize you — It's not that your new appearance doesn’t inspire the respect you deserve — If I may say so, there’s no shame in wanting to show youth — ”

Wirt arched an eyebrow at this man’s babbling. Who was he addressing? Wirt turned his head to look back, but there was no one, only him and Greg. Even his little brother seemed confused. Wirt steeled himself and coughed, stopping the man from continuing to speak. “Excuse me, who are you talking to?”

The man now seemed even more confused or surprised, Wirt couldn’t tell what his expression was. “To you, my Lord, Why do — ”

_Me?_

“Highwayman!” A female voice screamed, however Wirt saw no one near them. The voice seemed to come from above. And no less important, who was _the highwayman_?

“Miss Beatrice!” The man shouted, looking up, his look of fear quickly changed to one of relief.

Wirt did the same, however, his gaze didn’t change to some relief or similar expression, rather to confusion and disbelief. Up on the tree, standing on a thin branch was a woman, Wirt could bet that she was a year or two older than him, her red hair was combed in a bun, and she wore an old blue dress similar to a robe and Wirt couldn’t look away from those winged limbs sticking out of the girl's back.

Wirt gasped as soon as he saw the woman jump off the branch and see her wings unfurl and move as if they were the wings of real birds. The girl came to the land, unlike the thief, she did approach them. Now that Wirt was in front of her, he could appreciate the girl even better. Her cheeks were covered with freckles, her brow furrowed and she was biting her inner cheek, looking reproachfully at the Highwayman.

“Where have you been?” The bird girl had her hands on her waist, leaning slightly toward the Highwayman, “At least half of the gold coins were stolen and it’s more than obvious who did it.”

The girl began to scold the man, whom Wirt supposed was called _Highwayman_ , but what Wirt couldn’t process at all was the girl and whose wings moved violently behind her, like one more limb of her body.

“Miss Beatrice,” The Highwayman, now hunched over and kneeling on the floor interrupted the girl named Beatrice, “Please don’t scold me in front of our Lord. I promise that I won’t steal from the Midas fountain again.”

“Ah?” Beatrice placed her hands on her waist, her wings seemed to _calm down_ , “What do you mean by — ” Only until that moment did Beatrice notice the presence of both brothers. However, that made her wings unfold, showing that they were bigger than her body. “Who are you?” Beatrice watched them from head to toe, looking at Wirt superiorly, squinting, “And _why_ do you have that eye color?”

Wirt trembled at the sudden change of voice. “Miss — Beatrice?” Wirt was afraid of this girl, to be a disguise, it was very well done and too real, but this was a situation in which Wirt needed to swallow that fear, if not for him then for Greg, “We need help. My brother and I fell into the pond, could you lend me a phone to call my mom?”

“What do you mean, the pond?” Beatrice asked in disbelief, arching her eyebrow.

“Uh… We were about to drown — ”

“No, over the pond only more forest continues, and _phone_?” Beatrice said it more to herself than to Wirt, as if she were affirming something, “But — ”

“Miss Beatrice,” The Highwayman pulled her sleeve, “Please, don’t forget the matter of that boy’s eye.”

“What — What with my eye?” Wirt covered his left eye, it seemed to cause problems for this person.

“His eye is the same as our Lord’s.” The Highwayman moved away from him, which Wirt appreciated. “The Beast.”

“Wait a moment! Do you know the person with this eye color?” Wirt didn’t know if he should feel disbelief.

“Today is All Saints’ Eve.” Beatrice caught both brothers' attention, even with a thoughtful expression, “It’s also the start of the harvest. The Beast and Enoch organize a party for all their — What?” Beatrice scowled at The Highwayman.

“His eye.” The Highwayman tried to whisper in vain.

“I know, I’m not blind.” Beatrice frowned. “Wirt, isn’t it?” Wirt nodded, shaking his head. “You’re going to have to come with me.”

“Why?” Wirt became defensive, taking a step in front of Greg.

“I'm not suspecting you, I want to be clear on that, but your eye is the same as The Beast’s.” Beatrice explained defensively, as if she were the one being accused.

“You mean that this Beast of whom you speak...” It was possible? Was it finally happening? “Is my Soul mate?”

The feathered redhead looked at him as if he were a weirdo. “Soul mate?” To start immediately laughing, “Oh my, you're really not from our world.” At this Wirt felt his cheeks burn.

Beatrice turned around and started walking, being followed behind her by the Highwayman. Wirt and Greg exchanged glances, the little boy seemed excited to want to discover where they were going, Wirt, on the other hand, was worried about where they’d take them — Or what did she mean with another world... They weren’t dead, were they?

Both brothers had no choice but to follow the strange pair.

“What do you mean by another world?” Wirt asked after a few minutes of silence. “Or how do you know I'm _not_  from this world?”

“You say that by your eye you know your soul mate. In ours, our soul mate is in our skin.” Beatrice lifted the sleeve of her dress to reveal on her wrist a golden bell with a faint glow.

Wait, were they really in another world? Like in another universe? That sounded too science fiction! And Beatrice didn’t seem to be an alien, not at least with those wings. “But I have The Beast’s eye — What does that mean then?”

“It must be an error.” The redhead sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, “The Beast doesn’t have a soul mate. Since ancient times he’s one of The Ancients that were born without one.”

“What did you just say?” It was Greg who asked, astonishing Wirt, he didn’t think his little brother was paying attention to his conversation, he seemed more entertained watching the gloomy forest with its gloomy, twisted trees.

“The Beast is a God.” The Highwayman explained, “The Gods don’t have common twin souls.”

Wirt would have preferred not to have known that. Was it a error, as Beatrice said? There was no chance that his soul mate, whom he’d never find (not with these colors), was an almighty God of another universe... However, a small voice in his head asked him something else, _and if so, then what to do _?__

Music and laughter were heard in the vicinity. Wirt noticed that there was a bright light that reflected the shadow of the spooky trees at his feet, and there was a delicious smell.

Before they took another step, Beatrice struck the Highwayman’s head. “Go return those coins or I’ll personally take care that Lorna gives you a severe punishment.”

Before the threat the man snapped his tongue and bowed before Wirt and Greg, he ran to hide in the bushes.

Only until they got close Wirt could better see those trees, and what he saw didn’t improve much his opinion of the world they were in, it made him want to leave that place and never come back, that if he found out how to do it.

The twisted, black trees had human faces — _Maybe and they were even human_ , a macabre thought crossed his mind. The eyes, mouth and nose were now only holes from which a black oil drained. The arms had stretched and twisted into branches, as well as his fingers. While his feet had been buried in the ground and turned root.

If he managed to get out alive from here — And he prayed that — Wirt already had an idea for a haunted house in the next year.

And once inside that strange ring surrounded by gloomy trees, Wirt finally assumed that he really was in another universe.

The inhabitants of this world were similar in peculiarities to Beatrice and the Highwayman. They looked human, but many of them had characteristics out of the ordinary. Fangs, claws, fur, plumage, extra eyes, extra limbs, they were all fantastic creatures that Wirt had only heard in legends and myths.

“Wirt! Do you see what I see?” Even Greg was amazed by this strange encounter of two worlds.

“Guys,” Beatrice caught their attention, especially Wirt's, taking him by the arm and pulling him close to her, “This will be a delicate situation. Promise me to try not to attract attention. Don’t tell anyone that you’re — The Beast’s soul mate.” By Beatrice’s tone, Wirt knew that the redhead didn’t believe him, “If they get to see it, try to dodge questions about your eye, understand? I’ll go find Lorna.”

“Hey,” Wirt tried not to let his voice tremble, not while he was in the Otherworld, “Will you leave us _alone_?”

“I think you're old enough to know what to spoil and what not. Believe me, this is one of those.” Beatrice turned around, her blue wings crawling behind her, “Besides, Lorna has more patience dealing with children and murderers.”

Wirt breathed a couple of times, feeling in his chest and stomach that weight didn’t fade. “All right, Greg, you've already listened to Beatrice — Greg? Greg?!”

To tell the truth, Wirt wasn’t surprised that his little brother had disappeared the moment he took his eyes off him, in the supermarket Greg had to be sitting in the cart or else the electronic voice would inform them of the child wandering in the candy store.

“And what are you supposed to be?”

Wirt took a superhuman turn on his heels. His younger brother was fine, but not quite safe. He was surrounded by two beings of feminine and voluptuous appearance, hair of neon colors, and robes that covered all his body except for the legs and hands, which were completely hairy. Wirt felt his soul falter when he saw their faces and understood that both women were a well-known creature in their folklore: _Werewolf_.

“I am an elephant” Greg said excitedly, boasting his sound imitations of the gigantic animal.

“ _Ephelant_?” One of the women asked and tilted her head, “What’s an _ephelant?”_

“Oh! It must be in what Anansi transformed during the competition.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you were a servant of Anansi, a pleasure to meet the Spider Devil on that occasion.”

Greg was about to open his mouth to correct such kind young ladies when he saw the long table of delicious food, walking away from them without saying a word.

“He is undoubtedly Anansi's lackey, so rude.” That she-wolfman took a drink from her glass when her sharp vision saw an older boy approach the younger — And what caught her attention was the colored-ring eye.

“Greg.” Wirt took his little brother by the arm, “What do you think you're doing?”

“This is the most chocolaty cake I've ever eaten!”

Had it been another occasion, Wirt would have laughed at Greg's chocolate mustache. “You shouldn’t eat it. You don’t know if it's really chocolate.”

“Eat a little and change your mind, Wirt!”

Wirt would have said something if it hadn’t been because someone touched his shoulder. Wirt half expected to meet Beatrice, but instead his eyes met a pair of curious and inquisitive eyes.

“I told you I hadn’t seen it wrong.” The she-werewolf told the other one.

“What happened to your eye?” The other asked.

_Try to dodge questions about your eye, understand?_  Wirt heard Betarice’s voice, however, the she-wolf were so loud that it caught the attention of several creatures present, who upon seeing his eye, didn’t hesitate a second to begin their speculations.

“You’ll see…” Wirt felt his throat dry, there was no coherent phrase that was in his mind at the moment. “I…”

“He is The Beast’s soul mate!” Someone shouted, attracting the attention of all those present who turned around to see the Highwayman, who at Wirt’s perplexed and betrayed look, was standing next to a liquid gold fountain.

A moment of silence was covered over the party that only a few seconds ago there was music and laughter, then it was broken.

“Is that true?”

“It's the Highwayman, obviously he must be lying.”

“But look at his eye, it's the same as The Beast’s.”

“It must be magic. What fi he is an Adelaide’s doll?”

To more questions the murmurs were left behind and the creatures debated whether or not they should believe the Highwayman.

A strong wind hit everyone in that small part of the forest. Wirt hadn’t felt such a chill wind since the last winter, that made his bones crawl. Giving an exhale Wirt watched the steam leave his lips. Looking at Greg, the little boy had covered both arms with his small hands. Not only the wind had brought cold to everyone present, it’d also brought its own sound. A gloomy music played by the hollows of those black trees. A lament of death.

The lights that until then Wirt saw were hand-sized fireflies, dimmed their light. Only until Wirt looked up, in the direction where everyone focused with a serious look, Wirt was breathless.

Four silhouettes were walking, stopping below an arc of light that the same fireflies created, and with them, the mist began to travel the forest until no one could see their feet.

The first was a beautiful, young woman, she must have been his mother's age. Maybe it was a Queen because of her elegant blue wardrobe, a golden tiara over her light blue hair and a wand in her hand, her look was sweet and expressive — Was she the Queen of the forest? That sounded too much like a fairy tale.

The next person was another woman, but she was the opposite of the second. She was old, gaunt, big eyes, a swollen nose and pursed lips reminded him of an owl. Her clothes were completely black with a handkerchief over her head holding her gray hair. She seemed to be the old witch of the forest who eats children.

If possible, Wirt's jaw would have fallen to the ground. The third person was a _giant pumpkin_  — Wirt wasn’t sure if that's what he was, his head was the biggest pumpkin he had ever seen, his body seemed to be covered in green strands, maybe ribbons? And he had a smile-like, carved mouth.

“Wirt,” Greg pulled his brother’s blue cloak, Wirt covered Greg from the cold, “Remember the story that if you stay overnight in a field of pumpkins and the biggest one appears — He’ll fulfill a wish!”

Wirt silenced him with a finger on his lips. Now more than ever they should avoid attracting attention.

And finally there was... Who Wirt believed must be the most important seeing how the other three move. And Wirt would remember it for many years because at the moment when the smallest trace of the fourth person show up, the corner of his eyelid began to throb.

Never before had he felt something similar. It wasn’t painful, it wasn’t annoying, it was just weird.

The fourth creature came out in the dim light, taller than both women behind him, but not as tall as the giant pumpkin at his side. That being wore no more clothing except a cloak made of dark fur that covered him to the feet. It could well be an optical illusion, but the large horns that sprang from his head had a disturbing resemblance to the branches of the trees around him. And that was when Wirt noticed those colored eyes.

A kaleidoscope similar to his. Except that he knew that his eyes were alive... And this creature’s didn’t.

And Wirt remembered at that moment... That horned creature, who had his same colorful eyes, was _his soul mate_.

At the moment when Wirt tried to turn around to get away and seek for himself the way out to his world — His arm was strongly taken by a hairy hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not lie, To write the scene of The Beast, I was inspired by the Horned King scene in The Black Cauldron. He was my favorite villain and possibly a rare crush in my childhood... Please, no questions...
> 
> Very well, what do you think happens?... Or rather, what do you _want_ to happen? You already know that I'm always open to ideas and surge. Although I've an idea of what the next chapter will be like.
> 
> However I must say that it'll be a bit longer than this and the previous chapter, so it'll take a little more time since I only have a few written notes. 
> 
> But I always try to keep you happy so I'll tell you the title of the next chapter: **Dance Macabre**.
> 
> I wish you all a Happy New Year, and a very good start, that all your goals have been met and that you can continue to carry out your wishes, but most of all, be happy and healthy.
> 
> Feliz Final!
> 
> You can always contact me on Tumblr: [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/)  
> Also some of my future stories: [Here](http://iprincezzinuyoukai.tumblr.com/My-Fanfics)


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